3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Bethune-Cookman allows three safeties, falls 48-8 to Jackson State

JACKSONVILLE — The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats tied a not-so-positive NCAA record against Jackson State Saturday.

Playing at the Jacksonville Jaguars’ TIAA Bank Field, Bethune-Cookman gave up three safeties. That has happened only four times in the history of Division I college football and hasn’t been done at the FCS level since 2007, according to the American Football Database and the Jackson State athletic department.

That’s also a representation of how the rest of the contest went.

Jackson State stomped on the Wildcats early en route to a 48-8 victory.

The Tigers (6-0, 4-0 SWAC) rattled off 21 unanswered points in the first quarter and led by 39 by the time Bethune-Cookman got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter.

“We dropped too many balls today,” B-CU head coach Terry Sims said. “We missed too many tackles. We just didn’t make the plays we needed to make to win the football game. When you play a football team the caliber of Jackson State, you have to make the plays that are there for you …

“We had way too many miscues in all three phases, and there is no excuse for that.”

Here are three takeaways:

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1. JSU's Shedeur Sanders dominates in the first half

Shedeur Sanders is looking to turn the SWAC’s Offensive Player of the Week honor into his own permanent award.

He’s already won it twice this season, including last week, and made his case for a third time during Saturday’s first half.

Sanders tossed three touchdown passes in the first quarter and added another on Jackson State’s first possession of the second quarter. He led scoring drives on four of the Tigers’ first five drives.

“I don’t think we were flat,” Sims said. “I just think you saw a good football team take the ball and make plays. It was them being a good football team and executing.”

Overall, Sanders completed 36 of his 48 passes for 272 yards and five scores. He spread the ball around to nine different receivers.

“I’ll take that,” JSU head coach Deion Sanders said. “I think anybody in the country would take that.”

Bethune-Cookman did not sack him, but the Wildcats picked him off twice.

2. Bethune-Cookman’s mistakes pile up

Yes, the Wildcats surrendered three safeties.

The first came in the second quarter when a bad snap on a punt attempt rolled out of the back of the end zone.

On the second, Bethune-Cookman quarterback Jalon Jones fumbled the ball in the end zone, and it was pushed out of bounds as the two teams wrestled for it in the third quarter.

Jackson State picked up the third safety on a sack of Jones in the fourth quarter.

On defense, the Wildcats allowed eight plays of 15 or more yards. The Tigers racked up 496 yards of total offense.

On special teams, Bethune-Cookman gave up a couple of long kick returns, including a 55-yarder to open the game, and muffed a punt, which set the Tigers up in the red zone.

3. Wildcats struggle against the JSU defense

While Jackson State’s offense hummed, the Wildcats struggled.

They mustered only 166 yards of total offense, averaging 2.6 yards per play. They were 3-of-16 on third down.

Jones, who played at Jackson State from 2019 to 2021, finished with 98 passing yards. He hit tight end Kemari Averett with a 4-yard pass for Bethune-Cookman’s lone score.

“At the end of the day, I always have the utmost confidence in our team, no matter what transpires on the field,” Jones said. “I always know what we’re capable of. We just didn’t answer the door to the challenge today.”

Que’shaun Byrd was the Wildcats’ leading rusher with 55 yards on seven carries.

Jackson State safety John Huggins helped limit Bethune-Cookman’s offense. Huggins, who went to high school at Pine Ridge for three years and Mainland for one, notched five tackles and a sack.

Next up

The Wildcats (1-5, 1-2 SWAC) will look to snap their three-game losing streak next Saturday, when they travel to Mississippi Valley State. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: College football: Jackson State Tigers beat Bethune-Cookman Wildcats